Builders mastic sealant still not dry

[bennyboy1]

My builder put some builders mastic sealant down the join between our extension and our house on Monday morning and it is still very soft to touch 2 days later. Should it be? How long does this type of sealant take to dry? Surely it should be dry by now?

 

[^woody^]

It depends what type of mastic it is.

Do you mean that it's not dry and sticks to your finger, or not set with a hard surface but still soft beneath?

 

[bennyboy1]

It's very soft to touch but does not stick to my finger, it's got a kind of skin on it which wrinkled up when I tried to smooth out the dent I'd made with my finger when testing if it was dry.

 

[^woody^]

He's probably used normal acrylic mastic then. That sets like that.

Was acrylic specified? It should normally be polysulphide mastic.

 

[bennyboy1]

What so it will always be soft??? No polysulphide mastic wasn't specified, just mastic, he said it was builder's mastic.

 

[bennyboy1]

Just been reading about sealants and I think he's used an oil based sealant. This link below explains oil based sealants which fits with what mine is like. I think I remember seeing oil-based written on the tube when he showed me it.

http://www.countyconchem.co.uk/what-sealants-do-what.html

Also any idea how I can get rid of the stuff as I can't have it like it is, our kids will probably end up putting their fingers through it.